Episode 86: Al Qaher’s folly

A chaotic period followed al Muqtadir’s death in battle. Although officials quickly reached a consensus on the elevation of his successor, the very fact that the last caliph had been killed meant that more political violence was to be expected. Al Qaher managed to best the men who installed him but his gratuitous brutality and empty pockets lost him what little support he had. It didn’t take long for his troops to turn on him, propagating the Abbasid predicament for another generation.

Glossary

• Al Qaher: the latest Abbasid caliph was the third of al Mu’tadid’s children to take the throne. He was thirty two years old when he replaced his half-brother following the latter’s violent death in battle against Mu’nis. Al Qaher turned out to be a wantonly violent individual, alienating people he needed for support. Ultimately his own guards turned on him when he failed to ensure they were paid their wages.
• Mu’nis: the Greek eunuch rose from a manservant to the most powerful man in the caliphate. As the leader of the armies that defeated the caliph, it was up to him to put Humpty Dumpty back together. Nothing in our histories suggests that he wielded this power tyrannically, in fact we don’t come across any examples of overreach by the general. It wasn’t until Mu’nis felt threatened by the caliph that he turned on him, proving how dangerous his existence was. Although his elimination was necessary, it was a huge loss for the caliphate. Its enemies saw it as a sign of weakness and used the opportunity to formalize their break with the Abbasids.
• Ali ibn Muqla: this functionary attained the rank of wazir for the second time. He became Mu’nis favored choice since ibn Jarrah no longer accepted the role on account of his age. Ali ibn Muqla was a competent administrator, but not one with the skills to navigate the economic turmoil of the age. He’s better known for his skill in calligraphy, unparalleled to this day.
• Baliq and Ali ibn Baliq: a father-son pair trusted by Mu’nis, serving either as captains of commanders in his armies. They were appointed as guardians of the caliph: Ali was the hajib and his father Baliq was in charge of the palace guard. Not the caliph’s personal guard though, the hujriya reported directly to the monarch. They were both killed in cold blood, without a chance to defend themselves.
• Mohammad ibn Yaqut: Mohammad’s father Yaqut, had actually been a commander installed by Mu’nis in charge of Damascus. That didn’t stop Mohammad from betraying Mu’nis when al Muqtadir promised to name him as the next chief of the military.This was how the unimpressive commander had become the leader of the anti-Mu’nis faction. He went on the run after or during al Muqtadir’s battle, first to Wasit, then to Ahwaz, where he was captured by his rival. Al Qaher once more used him as a replacement for Mu’nis, but was killed by his own guards before long.
• Mohammad and Ibrahim ibn Ra’iq: these two brothers were on Mohammad ibn Yaqut’s side, and their fortunes rose with his when al Qaher embraced their faction after their capture by Mu’nis. Mohammad ibn Ra’iq became the ruler of Wasit, and he leveraged that position to greater heights in a few short years.